Lynne Van Luven

Marlene A. D. Lynne Van Luven

Statistics say that one in 10 women has no intention of taking the plunge into motherhood. Nobody's Mother is a collection of stories by women who have already made this choice. From introspective to humorous to rabble-rousing, these are personal stories that are well and honestly told. The writers range in age from early 30s to mid-70s and come from diverse backgrounds. All have thought long and hard about the role of motherhood, their own destinies, what mothering means in our society and what their choice means to them as individuals and as members of their ethnic communities or social groups. Contributors include: Nancy Baron, a zoologist and science writer who works in the United States for eaWeb/COMPASS and has won two Science in Society awards, a National Magazine Award and a Western Magazine Award for Science. Lorna Crozier, well-known poet and the author of a dozen books, as well as the recipient of a Governor General's award and numerous other writing prizes.

Life Without Kids

Nobody's Mother

Bruce Gillespie

Our quest for origin and, by extension, identity is universal to the human experience. For the twenty-five contributors to Somebody’s Child, the topic of adoption is not—and perhaps never can be—a neutral issue. With unique courage, each of them discusses their experience of the adoption process. Some share stories of heartbreak; others have discovered joy; some have searched for closure. Somebody’s Child captures the many unforgettable faces and voices of adoption. The third book in a series of anthologies about the twenty-first-century family, Somebody’s Child follows Nobody’s Mother and Nobody’s Father, two essay collections from childless adults on parenthood, family and choices. Together, these three books challenge readers to reexamine traditional definitions of the concept of “family.”

Stories About Adoption

Somebody's Child

Stories of origin and creation govern how all cultures understand themselves. For the 25 contributors to Somebody's Child, the topic of adoption is no—and perhaps never can be—a neutral issue. With unique courage, each of them talks about his or her experience of the adoption process. Some speak of heartbreak; some have found modified “happy endings”; others have discovered joy. All have been changed by discovering the vital facts of their own birth and origin. Somebody's Child contains a wide array of true stories: a young man explores his love for his adopted sister; a woman comes to grips with the truth about her birth parents; a mother of two talks about meeting her “first son,” the baby she gave up; and, a lawyer tells about discovering her Nigerian family. Somebody's Child captures the many unforgettable faces and voices of adoption. he third book in a family of anthologies about the 21st-century family, Somebody's Child follows up on Nobody's Mother and Nobody's Father, two essay collections from childless adults on parenthood, family and choices. Together, these three books challenge readers to redefine our traditional definitions of the concept of “family.”

Stories about Adoption

In a sequel to the celebrated collection of stories Nobody's Mother comes an honest and poignant collection of essays from men who have forgone fatherhood. Statistics Canada data show that seven per cent of women and eight per cent of men intend to remain childless. Nobody's Father gives readers fresh, honest insights into that male eight per cent. Ranging in age from young manhood to late middle age, some gay and some straight, and making their homes across North America, the contributors explore the issues of what it means to live a life without children. While some writers admit they are haunted by feelings of failure to live up to their own fathers' expectations and to carry on the family name, others admit to knowing from an early age that parenthood was not for them and are content with the alternative lives they lead.

Nobody's Father

Kathy Page

Living is a process of continuous transformation: we have been embryos, children, adolescents, thin, fat, sick, better again. And as humans, we are always at odds with at least one part of our bodies. Have we inherited the family nose? Is there nothing to be done for our finicky stomach or our limp hair? In the Flesh is an intelligent, witty, and provocative look at how we think about—and live within—our bodies. The editors and writers in this collection describe, in many voices, what human bodies feel now. Each author's candid essay focuses on one part of the body, and explores its function, its meanings, and the role it has played in his or her life. Written from both the male and female perspectives, contributors include Caroline Adderson, André Alexis, Taiaiake Alfred, Brian Brett, Trevor Cole, Dede Crane, Lorna Crozier, Candace Fertile, Stephen Gauer, Julian Gunn, Heather Kuttai, Susan Olding, Kate Pullinger, Merilyn Simonds, Richard Steel, Madeleine Thien, Sue Thomas, and Margaret Thompson.

Lynne Van Luven

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